


Rain

by readwriteonly



Series: Moments [5]
Category: Life Is Strange (Video Game)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-09
Updated: 2016-02-09
Packaged: 2018-05-19 07:40:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,196
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5959155
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/readwriteonly/pseuds/readwriteonly
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Sitting in the van wasn't getting him anywhere closer to a hot shower. He grabbed his bag, pulled his cap firmly down on his head, put the house keys in his hand and dived out the door, slamming it behind him. He ran first to the letter box, pulling out a pile of sodden mail, then around to the front door. The key jammed in the door, and he was forced to fiddle with it as the rain soaked him. Finally it turned, and he entered and pushed the door closed behind him.</p><p>"Well," he muttered to himself, "I guess at least this week can't get any worse."</p>
            </blockquote>





	Rain

David pulled into the drive in front of the house and sighed. Before the storm, the time he had spent working on his pride and joy - a '64 Impala - had felt like the only moments of peace in a life that was increasingly out of his control. He loved that car dearly. Right now, however, the car was in the garage, it was dark, and it was pouring with rain.

Still, sitting in the van wasn't getting him anywhere closer to a hot shower. He grabbed his bag, pulled his cap firmly down on his head, put the house keys in his hand and dived out the door, slamming it behind him. He ran first to the letter box, pulling out a pile of sodden mail, then around to the front door. The key jammed in the door, and he was forced to fiddle with it as the rain soaked him. Finally it turned, and he entered and pushed the door closed behind him.

"Well," he muttered to himself, "I guess at least this week can't get any worse."

David put the sopping wet pile of mail on the table by the door, took his shoes off then climbed the stairs. He paused at the top, glancing into Chloe's empty room for any sign that she might have returned. No luck. Twenty minutes later he was back downstairs, warm and dry, with the fire burning. Rain was unpleasant, but it made a hot shower and dry clothing feel like heaven.

He went back to the door and grabbed the mail, walked through the kitchen to pour a cup of coffee, and then sat at the dining table, enjoying the warmth of the fire at his back.

The mail was soaking wet, so he straightened each item carefully on the table and then tore the envelope off slowly, trying to avoid ripping the wet paper inside. This task done, he straightened out the paper to dry. His eyes were drawn to a figure at the bottom of one and he whistled.

"I guess the week can get worse after all."

A glance at the letterhead confirmed his suspicions. Medical bill. The storm that had ripped through Arcadia bay two weeks ago had appeared almost without warning, trapping Joyce and others in the Two Whales. David had been faint with relief when the hospital had finally managed to get through to him to tell him she was there, safe but unconscious. That relief had slowly turned to worry, then fear as the days went by, and she failed to come out of it.

He looked through the bill carefully and nodded to himself. More scans, more tests. The doctors didn't seem to know what was wrong with her so they were checking everything. David approved - he wanted nothing in the world more than Joyce healthy and safe again - but the cost was enormous. He had medical insurance through his job at Blackwell, and it extended to his wife, but it would only cover some costs, and not for long.

Well, he'd deal with it. He'd fought his way out of far worse situations before, situations with bullets and people who wanted him dead, not just in debt. Only two things scared him at this point: That Joyce wouldn't wake up, or that she would, and he'd have to tell her he'd lost Chloe.

He stood and walked into the kitchen, looking through the cupboards as if he didn't know exactly what was in there, or what he was going to end up eating.

"Damnit Joyce, I married a magnificent cook for a reason. Man cannot live on charcoal alone."

David gave up looking and fished a packet of two minute noodles out of the cupboard.

"On the plus side, very difficult to burn." he said to himself.

He put the pot on, grabbed a beer from the fridge and leaned against the counter. The simmering of the pot, the crackling of the fire and the sound of the rain outside was soothing. He found himself wondering where Chloe was now. Both of them had been exhausted and near sick with fear for Joyce when they fought at the Hospital, but David knew he had been wrong to rage at her. Wherever she had been, she had been safe, it should have been enough. Now he was alone, a family man without a family, and it was all his fault.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of knocking on the door, almost drowned out by the rain. He froze for a moment, his brain taking a second to realise nobody would normally be visiting in this weather, then he rushed to the door. David pulled it open to see Chloe standing there, one arm raised to knock and the other arm wrapped around herself. She started, then turned her eyes to the ground.

"David, I-"

David grabbed her and pulled her inside, wrapping her in a fierce hug. She tensed for a moment then threw her arms around him.

"I am so so sorry Chloe, I should never have said those things, I was tired and scared but it is no excuse, I was wrong."

Chloe took a deep breath then raised her head to look up at him. Her eyes were red with tears, but she smiled slightly. "Can I get that in writing? you know, for future?" she said in an echo of her usual self.

David laughed for the first time in what seemed forever. "Hell Chloe, I'll get it framed for you!". He let her go and closed the door, then turned back to her.

"Chloe, don't get me wrong, I am full of joy to have you back, but you look... haunted. Are you ok? where's Max?"

Chloe's face fell and her smile vanished. "Max is gone. I... I drove her away. God David I am so stupid, I lashed out at you, I lashed out at her. I've been selfish and foolish. I thought you'd tell me to get lost but I had to try. I... I don't know where Max has gone, so I came here."

She looked back up at him. 

"To start making things right."

David put his hand on her shoulder. "Chloe, the way I see it we've both had our moments, but you're back here and you're safe. We're square. If you're willing, we can maybe start again from here. For each other, and for Joyce."

Chloe took a deep breath, then nodded her head. 

"I can do that. For us, and for Joyce. How... How is-"

The fire alarm blared, and David swore.

"God damnit, I forgot about the noodles!"

He hurried into the kitchen, moved the pot off the stove and then started waving a dish towel into the air to get rid of the smoke. Chloe followed him in and then stopped, staring. A smile slowly crept up her face.

"You... you burned two minute noodles?"

David glared at her, and her smile grew even wider, before breaking into laughter. Suddenly he felt a weight lift from his heart and soon he was laughing too. Chloe was back, and he had a family again.


End file.
